Elevator.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL MAGNUSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-June 6, 1916.

Application filed May 23, 1912. Serial No. 699,095.

York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevators and more particularly to improvements in electric elevators, in which electric conductors extend from the controller switch in the car to the stationary switchboard. In elevators of this type it is customary to place the junction box or other stationary device to which said conductors are attached at an intermediate point in the elevator hatchway. Such a construction, however, is objectionable for various reasons, particularly where employed in high rise elevators. When the car is in an intermediate position a portion of the cable hangs downward therefrom in the form of a loop. When the car is in operation a swinging or swaying of this loop is frequently set up, owing to currents of air through the hatchway, or other causes, so that the cable may be swayed into the path of an adjacent elevator car or other obstacle, resulting in injury to or a complete severance of the cable. Another objection to such construction is that during the travel of the car the portion of the weight of the cable supported by the car constantly varies. In a high rise elevator this variation is considerable.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these and other objections by providing a construction in which the cable for the electric conductors is wound on a drum or sheave loosely mounted on and rotating with the motor shaft.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a structure embodying one form of my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation view of an elevator to which the invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the drum on which an electric cable is wound.

I have shown my invention applied to an ordinary type of traction elevator comprising a car G, a counterweight W, and hoisting cables A connecting the car and counterweight. The cable A extends over the drive sheave B, secured to the shaft D of an electric motor M. Current for the motor and controlling apparatus is supplied from any suitable source through the mains designated and respectively, which lead to the switchboard F the latter being provided with suitable controlling apparatus. From the switchboard current is supplied to the motor through conductors 1.

Within the car C is a usual controller or car switch 2. The controlling circuits leading from this switch are in accordance with my invention extended through a flexible cable H, one end of which is secured to the car and the other end of which is connected to a drum E loosely mounted on the motor shaft D, said drum having substantially the same diameter as the drive shaft B. The drum E, as shown in detail in Fig. 2, is mounted on a reduced portion or stem 3 of the drive shaft, and is held against the shoulder thus formed on the drive shaft by means of a coil spring 5. This spring bears at one end against the drum, and at its opposite end against a washer 6, held by a nut 7 threaded on the shaft. This construction permits adjustment of the tension of the spring. The tension of the spring 5 is suflicient to cause the drum E to rotate with the shaft D under normal conditions and thus prevent any slack in the cable H. The yieldable connection between the drum and shaft at the same time prevents any undue strain on the cable in case slippage of the hoisting cable A on the traction sheave B occurs. A flexible rope or cable I, is connected at one end to the drum E and is wound on the latter in the reverse direction from the cable H. The opposite end of the cable I is connected through a hitch 8 and arm 9, to the counterweight W. The cable I serves to take up or prevent any slack in the cable H.

The end of the cable H is extended through an opening in the periphery of the drum E as shown in Fig. 2, and the individual wires 10 separated and extended through lateral openings in the drum and electrically connected to a series of collector rings 14L concentrically mounted on the drum. Brushes 15 supported in a holder or bracket 16 bear on the collector rings 14.. Conductors 17 connected to said brushes are united in a cable 18, leading to the controller board.

The operation of my invention will be understood from the above description, but may be briefly stated as follows: WVhen the motor is running in either direction, the

drum E being frictionally held on the motor shaft D, rotates therewith, and as the peripheries of said drum and the drive sheave B are the same, the cable H will be wound on the drum or unwound at the same rate as the hoisting cables, so that it will automatically remain taut. The same is true as regards the cable I connected to the counterweight. If at any time slippage should occur between the hoisting cables A and the drive sheave, the frictional connection between the motor shaft and drum E permits the latter to slip on the drive shaft an amount corresponding to the slippage of the hoisting cables, so that no undue strain is placed on the cable H. If the slippage of the hoisting cables should be in a direction tending to produce slack in the cable H, the cable I will in like manner cause the drum E to slip on the drive shaft and thereby maintain the normal tension on the cable H.

I wish not to be limited to the precise construetion herein disclosed, as various modifications might be made within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is 1. In an elevator, the combination of a car and counterweight, a hoisting cable connecting the car and counterweight, a drum, an electric cable connected to the car and said drum and a flexible connector extending between said drum and the counterweight.

2. In an elevator, the combination of a drive shaft, a drive sheave secured thereto, a car, a counterweight, a hoisting cable running in contact with the drive sheave and connected to the car and counterweight, a drum mounted on the drive shaft and having a frictional connection therewith, an electric cable connecting the car and said drum, and a cable forming a connection between the counterweight and said drum.

3. In an elevator, the combination of a car and counterweight, a hoisting cable connecting the car and counterweight, a drum, an electric cable connected to the car and said drum, and means extending between said drum and counterweight to maintain tension always in the electric cable.

4. In an elevator, the combination of a car and counterweight, a hoisting cable connecting the car and counterweight, a drum, an electric cable connected to the car and said drum, and means extending between said drum and hoisting cable to always maintain tension on the electric cable.

5. In an elevator, the combination of a car and counterweight, a hoisting cable connecting the car and counterweight, a drum, an electric cable connected to the car and said drum, and means intermediate of the said drum and counterweight to maintain tension always in the electric cable.

6. In an elevator, the combination of a car and counterweight, a hoisting cable connecting the car and counterweight, a drum, an electric cable connected to the car and said drum, and means intermediate said drum and hoisting cable always to maintain tension on the electric cable.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AXEL MAGNUSON. Witnesses:

ROBERT Knox,

Tnnonon ESKILSSON.

copies of this potent may be obtained for an cents each, by addreulng the communion: of Int Wuhluzton, D. 0. 

